Open Society Foundations and Echoing Green Launch Black Male Achievement Fellowship

NEW YORK, Dec. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Open Society Foundations and Echoing Green announced today a new fellowship program for individuals dedicated to improving the life outcomes of black men and boys in the U.S. It is the first fellowship program of its kind that targets social entrepreneurs who are starting up new organizations in the field of black male achievement.

"We're proud to support innovators working to transform the lives of black men and boys and their communities," said Shawn Dove, Manager of the Open Society Foundations Campaign for Black Male Achievement. "Historically, black males have been prevented from fully engaging in American society due to a host of economic, civic, social, and political barriers. Now for the first time, there's a fellowship program dedicated to providing creative thinkers the space and support they need to tackle this complicated and entrenched problem."

The online application for the Open Society Black Male Achievement Fellowship will be available on December 5, 2011 and closed on January 9, 2012. It will be awarded to eight fellows who are generating new ideas and best practices in the areas of education, family, and work such as initiatives related to fatherhood, mentoring, college preparatory programs, community-building, and supportive wage work opportunities. Fellowships will also be awarded for efforts in the areas of communications and philanthropic leadership.

"The pioneering efforts of social entrepreneurs have real and long-term systemic impacts on society," said Cheryl L. Dorsey, President of Echoing Green. "We're excited to be partners in this new Fellowship program focused on black male achievement. When all segments of our society succeed, we can be much more innovative and competitive as a country."

Echoing Green has run a social entrepreneur fellowship for the past 24 years. Eighty-five percent of their Fellows remain in the social sector in leadership positions after their fellowships have ended.

Each BMA Fellow will receive a $70,000 stipend in start-up capital as well as technical assistance over 18 months to help them launch and build their organizations; access to technical support and pro bono partnerships; community of like-minded social entrepreneurs and public service leaders; and other benefits.

For eligibility and application information, go to: www.echoinggreen.org/bma-fellowship.

About the Open Society Foundations
Active in more than 70 countries, the Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. Working with local communities, the Open Society Foundations support justice and human rights, freedom of expression, and access to public health and education.

About Echoing Green
Echoing Green unleashes next generation talent to solve the world's biggest problems. We are a nonprofit social venture fund that identifies, invests in, and supports some of the world's best emerging social entrepreneurs—society's change agents. Because we believe human capital is the most important asset class, and understand the difficulties faced by social innovators who challenge the status quo with bold ideas for a better world, Echoing Green invests deeply in these next generation change agents as well as works to create an ecosystem around them that supports and celebrates social innovation as a high-impact strategy for social change.

SOURCE Open Society Foundations